The Cherry Blossom Tree
by kazykim13
Summary: One-shot fic of Sleeping Warrior. Whose life will become a tragedy when one is gone forever? (Phillip is barely mentioned). Rated T for blood.
1. Chapter 1

I felt some blossom petals falling upon my head as I sat next to the fully-grown cherry blossom tree. I looked up and smiled at the falling petals gently brushing them away. I touched the smooth bark of the tree, I felt my whole body become one with this tree and I felt her near again. I heard one of the maids calling for me in the distance, but I failed to move or even acknowledge her, I wanted to stay near to the cherry blossom tree forever. I ignored the calling maid as I put my cheek next to the tree, the smooth bark gently rubbed against my cheek. I closed my eyes and envisioned her, her long silk hair that was always up in a warrior's ponytail, her strong jaw and facial structure, but with the softest and most beautiful eyes I have ever laid my own eyes upon. "Queen Aurora! Have you been here this whole time?!" The maid asked as she caught her breath smiling, "I seem to always find you here at the edge of the garden with this tree!" she laughed as she approached me closer, trying to take my arm. I immediately knew it was my maid Marian. She was younger and she reminded me of me in my youth. I turned slowly, away from the tree and looked at her with sad eyes, "Marian, have you noticed?" Marian looked at me with surprise, probably not aware that I was become filled with sadness. "I...uhm...Queen, I have not..." she removed her hand from me and bowed her head thinking it was her doing for my saddened mood. I tapped her on the shoulder and saw her sheepishly look up, "Marian, let me tell you something I have never told anyone before. It is the reason why I care so much for this simple cherry blossom tree." I motioned for her to sit next to me. Marian sat close wanting to listen, I knew after this she will see me in a completely different light. I smiled, "It was long ago..."

*Flashback*

The rush of adrenaline was running throughout my body as I ran through the dense forest. The blur of green and brown rushed past as I held on tightly to the hand that pulled me along. "Hurry! We need to hurry!" She called out in between her breaths. What was behind us was more frightening than anything I have seen before. It was the suffering spirits we had earlier disturbed as we tried to find Phillip's soul. In the mess of things I accidentally tipped over a velvet vase, breaking it, then what seemed like a million spirits came out screeching and howling as though they have been suffering all their life. She had grabbed my hand as tightly as she could and pulled me from the broken vase. She swung her sword out dispelling the evil spirits that tried to attack us. "Go, go!" She called out pushing me back toward the entrance. "Mulan! What about-"  
"I'll be right behind you! Just go!" Mulan shot a small smile before swinging at more spirits that attacked only her now. I looked at her worried until I rushed toward the entrance. I wasn't even out until I saw a blur of red and black rush past me. I felt my arm being pulled and my whole body leapt ahead with such a force I almost fell. Mulan looked back at me with a whimsical smile as she told me to keep up.

Before I knew it we ran at the edge of a cliff until Mulan heaved to a stop. My whole body fell forward onto her, almost pushing her over the cliff. She quickly looked around and pulled me again toward wherever her mind was set for. I found myself hiding in the crevasse of an indented hill near the cliff. I knew we were hanging over the edge because Mulan kept her hand on my shoulder, keeping me trapped against the dirt wall. I felt my eyes wander all around then carefully looked at Mulan. Her strong jaw line was evident, as her facial features showed much courage and strength. But also her eyes, even though they were filled with seriousness most of the time, they were the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. Her attention was elsewhere, still listening for the spirits, but all I noticed was her, standing beside me. All of the worries and fears have grown slack within me as she stood strongly. Keeping me safe.


	2. Chapter 2

She look toward me for the first time this whole time, and we just stared at each other. I felt my heart all at once flutter and pound, I didn't know what had become of me. I gulped down what seemed like a rock because felt pain as I swallowed. I blinked once as she just stared at me. Her eyes wandered down toward what I assumed where my lips were and quickly went back up. Her lips slightly parted, the dryness of her lips and cracks from our long journeys showed. I saw her step from her place, coming near me. I felt weary all of sudden, but I soon realized her whole body came in front of me, hands placed themselves beside me as her body engulfed mine. Her face was so near, just one wrong look or movement and we would be touching. Her breath had quickened as they let out near my ear. I felt the warm breaths upon my exposed neck as she stood unmoving in front of me. "Mulan...?" I barely croaked out but she interrupted sternly whispering, "Keep quiet Princess!" I felt my mouth shut from her seriousness, holding my breath. Then, I heard the shrieks of the spirits from the distance, coming closer. I felt a violent wind pick up around us, but Mulan did not waver from her spot. She stood like a statue. I peered over her body and saw a Spirit wandering out in the cliff's edge. It was searching all around but for some reason it did not see us. I knew I had seen the Spirit spin our way a few times before it headed off. As the others followed still screaming and shrieking into the silent air, I released my breath noticing I had held it in for so long.

Mulan stayed put until she felt as though it was safe. "Okay Aurora, it's safe." she said releasing her body from its position, slowly and carefully creeping off the edge toward the clearing. She held out her hand helping me leave the edge of the cliff. I felt her warm finger wrap themselves with mine. I felt my heart pound again. After we got to safety, I saw her eyes look around then giving me all of her attention. "Next time, let's try not to break anything in a burial site?" Mulan smiled patting her pants down. I blushed from her comment, I didn't mean to make trouble. "I'm sorry..." Mulan looked up a bit confused, "Why are you sorry? Did anyone get hurt?" She asked stepping closer to me, making me blush even more. "N..no?"  
"Then there is no need to apologize." she flashed a small smile, giving me the courage to smile back. She looked up toward the sky and sun telling me, "We must keep searching in the cave before nightfall." Before she turned to head back toward the cave, I stopped her, "Shouldn't we make camp and just search tomorrow? It's getting fairly dark..." She looked at me contemplating the camp for a mere second, "I know that Phillip can be saved now. I believe I found the vase the witch talked about." Mulan's smile faded as she spoke those words. I couldn't help but feel she was not at all in this mission as she intended to be. I felt her sadness, somehow, I knew in a way that she was not doing this for me, she was doing this for herself. I wanted to speak out again, but she turned away quickly and walked on, calling me without looking my way.

We came back to the eerie cave where the vases crowed the whole cave. Mulan was searching relentlessly for the vase the witch described. This witch had told Mulan and I that if we headed to the outskirts of my kingdom and searched deep in the Black Forest, we would find a cave filled with vases. The specific vase we needed to find was one that looked ancient and beautiful at the same time. Now I just laughed at her words, all the cases looked ancient and maginficent. She also told is that only those who have witnessed the death of their loved one are able to summon the soul out of the vase. I searched each vase until a sudden question released from my lips, "Why didn't that spirit see us when we were on the edge of the cliff?" Mulan looked toward me for a second before going back to her searching, "I don't know, but when I was trying to fight it off, when I kept still it immediately lost sight of me. I guess it only sees by movement and sound?" I nodded trying to understand, but all I knew is Mulan had saved us both. I got chills as we ventured deeper in the cave. The cave echoed of spirits speaking and moaning out. I felt that these souls sensed our presence and wanted freedom from whatever eternity they were facing. But from earlier, if we released any of the other souls they would come and devour us.


	3. Chapter 3

I stayed close as possible to Mulan who led the way through the cave. She kept her sword in its holster just so it wouldn't accidentally knock over any more vases. I was much more careful from where I treaded now, I didn't want to make another incident. It seemed like we were in the cave for hours just roaming around endlessly for a certain vase a part from the millions that were here. "Mulan...?" I called out curiously. "Yes?" Mulan asks still looking as we walked. "Do...do...you..." I stopped my words immediately afraid of what Mulan would think of me if I asked her _Do you love me?_ I wanted to ask but my throat constricted and kept me from speaking anymore. Mulan stopped and looked at me in worry, "Is everything alright?" I could see the anxiety and worry in her eyes, but also tremendous sadness. "I was just wondering...Do you like trees?" I felt my shoulders slump from the idiotic question I had asked. _Of all the things!_ Mulan gave a small smirk, she knew it wasn't what I was going to ask but she replied, "I do. I feel that you can learn a lot from them." Mulan turned away walking, "Yes...you can learn Patience, companionship, and love." I saw Mulan head nod a bit from her deep thinking. "You act as though they are a person." I laughed, a bit jokingly from how Mulan described trees. "Well, in my village we believe that a tree contains a person's soul." I looked at Mulan like she was a tad crazy, but also I was drawn in on her story. This had been the first time she had talked about her home town with me and I wanted to cherish this moment.

After an hour of searching, we decided to leave the cave to search again in the morning. I teased Mulan a bit as we set up camp telling her, "l told you, we should have set up camp!" Mulan just shook her head every time I reminded her that I was the first to bring camp up. We sat around the fire with the stars and moon's bright light upon us, I started to ask Mulan questions, "So, tell me more of this tree soul thing." Mulan looked up from the fire's blaze surprised, her eyes gleamed from the fire's embers. "I thought I had made trouble with my stories." She replied a bit flattered. "Not at all! It was interesting, it made me think." Mulan smiled genuinely from my interest being peeked with this, so she continued with her explanation. "Well, as I said before, we believe that trees can contain one's soul. I just remember my mother always telling me to talk to the trees whenever I had the chance, because sometimes you could hear them talk back..." Mulan began to laugh a bit from her answer. "What is it?" I asked curious. "I just remember," she chuckle between words reminiscing in past memories, "I used to talk to the trees in our garden every moment I had! Of course I have never heard anything being spoken. But, sometimes I really felt that whoever possessed the tree listened." Mulan's excitement and past life made me feel genuinely happy and made me excited. "I just remembered all the times I had cried in that garden..." Mulan sat slumping a bit, remembering hardships she had in her past. I saw her countenance become troublesome. "Maybe Phillip's soul is in a tree?" I smiled a bit teasing, wanting her depressed mood to pass. Her eyes jolted up, toward mine. She just shrugged smiling back, "Maybe!" These past few weeks with Mulan had made me realize something, she is more the woman I had originally thought she was. She had opened up so much and smiled more often. I started to really contemplate of telling Mulan to stop our search because I thought to myself, _This would be enough._

The next morning was a bright, sunny, and beautiful. The sky was clear when we headed back into the cave. In the early morning, the cave seemed less menacing and eerie then before. I noticed Mulan was much chipper today then I have ever seen her. I felt that it was all our talking from last night. I had learned so much of this woman in a matter of hours. I felt I really knew Mulan, and I dare say, more than Phillip. All I could do was stare at her long black hair as we walked on. It seemed it would feel like silk or velvet, I reached up wanting to feel it for myself but I had stopped myself in the process. _What are you doing?!_ I retracted my hand, squeezing it into a fist. I felt all these emotions that I have never felt before. I felt that my heart was in a whirlwind because it had been pounding ever since we stepped inside the cave. _Maybe it's because we will actually find Phillip?_ I shook my head, looking down at the cave's grungy floor. _Why can't I tell her...?_ I looked up toward the woman who walked ahead of me. Her strong composer made me feel empowered and safe all the time, and all at once made my heart flutter and grow weak. I felt my voice whisper out without me realizing, "Do you love me?" Mulan abruptly stopped and immediately turned toward me, with the most fearful but hopeful stare, "What...?"


	4. Chapter 4

I felt my chest tighten and my heart pound even harder. I gulped from my sudden response, I didn't know what had possessed me for a moment for me to utter those words out loud. But I felt my body grow cold and stiff. Mulan kept looking in my eyes with her serious deep-brown eyes, not saying a word. We stood staring at each other, I saw her step forward, her eyes wandering from my lips to my eyes, until we suddenly heard a familiar voice. Phillip's voice. Mulan and I both jolted away our attention was now toward his voice, it was close but seemed so far away. Mulan and I immediately rushed to his calling voice. We checked every vase until we came across a very old looking vase. Its handles were broken off and seemed dust had already engulfed the beautiful paintings around the vase. I couldn't believe my ears, Phillip's voice was calling out from this very vase. I looked toward Mulan who carefully took her sword out, "Stand back Aurora..." her magnificent sword seemed like it gleamed in the cave. I took a few steps back, glancing toward Mulan as I inched away from the vase _Mulan..._ Mulan's countenance became very serious as she lifted her sword. Her eyes wavered toward me a bit then back at the vase. I began to see the sadness in her eyes, surrounding her. Before I could interfere, she swung down hard into the vase. The sword seemed like it was deflected by some strange magic, because the vase glowed of white and blue as she tried to keep her sword down. A powerful wind picked up as she kept her sword in place, I could see her struggling just to keep her sword down. A blinding light shot out, looking away, I heard the vase shatter with pieces violently flying all around. I heard a few small stray pieces fall near my feet, but never touching me. I heard a deep breath and as I opened my eyes I saw Phillip standing in front of me. Alive. He looked all around himself then up toward me. I felt a big smile come across my face as our eyes met, what seemed like the first time in ages. "Phillip!" I called out as we both came forward in an embrace. "Aurora," He whispered under his breath as his arms squeezed me, "My love, Aurora." I closed my eyes knowing he was really here, but at the back of my mind I felt something strange. But before I could even think twice about it, I heard a groan call out from behind the both of us. I quickly pushed Phillip away and saw Mulan staring at the both of us with the most peculiar countenance. Then I saw it. Her body shook with fear as she looked down at herself. Shards if the vase penetrated her thick armor. She covered her chest and abdomen with her arms and as she moved her hands away, blood drenched her hands.

"Mulan!" I shrieked out as her sword fell from her hands. The steel screeched against the cave floor, and I saw her fall to her knees. My hands immediately reached for hers for comfort. Blood dripped from the front of her body, her hands shook so badly I couldn't even keep them still with my own. "Phillip!" I yelled feeling the tears rush from my eyes. "We need to get her out of here!" Phillip quickly picked her up with all his might. He rested her on his back, carrying her like a child. I quickly grabbed her sword and rushed out with them. "How long will it take to our kingdom?!" Phillip asked panicking. Mulan began to speak but her speech was so garbled that I heard myself respond for her, "If we hurry, 3 hours!" Phillip looked at me with astonishment, but moved forward without a second thought, "East yes?" I nodded as he quickly walked on. I was right behind him and Mulan, all I could think about was what had happened and why she didn't say anything earlier. I felt the tears pour out as I saw Mulan, for the first time, defenseless and vulnerable. I walked a bit behind Phillip, wrapping my hand into Mulan's. I felt her fingers weakly cling onto mine. I looked toward her and saw her eyes glued to me, those eyes that were once filled with so much sadness were now looking empty and helpless. I mouthed toward her, "You'll make it." I saw her barely give a smile before it slumped away. _You'll make it Mulan! Don't worry! _ I felt even my own words faltered.


	5. Chapter 5

We had made it to our kingdom in 3 hours, but it seemed longer then I had thought. It didn't matter anymore, all I wanted was Mulan to be safe. I told Phillip to put Mulan down at the garden's edge, feeling it wasn't necessary to bring her all the way into the castle, wanting to spare time. I told Phillip to rush inside and bring anything out to help Mulan as I told him I would stay with her. Phillip immediately ran toward the abandoned castle as I put Mulan laying in my arms. Her breath had become shorter and her chest heaved quickly up and down, she was struggling for air. All I could do was cry and have my fingers intertwined with Hers. "Aurora..." I heard her barely whisper through a raspy voice. I just stared down at her, tears falling off cheeks. "I'm not going to make it..." I heard her confess to me. Her eyes filled with tears as she spoke those words. We both knew it was true, but I didn't want to believe it. "No, Mulan! You're going to live!" I felt my chest tighten from the sudden emotions I had felt for this woman. Mulan squeezed my hand with her fingers, she wanted me to understand, but I couldn't. I looked up for Phillip, wondering where he was. Mulan's hand raised itself to my face, her fingers caressing my cheek, wanting me calm down. "Aurora..." her hand fell a bit, but I had caught it before it completely fell. "Yes...?" I asked, keeping her hand on my cheek. Mulan's eyes filled with little courage of what was left, "I love you." I felt my heart break, I loved her too, and it was only now I was realizing this or even mentioning it. I nodded crying still, I saw her weakly smiling toward me, knowing this would be her last moment with me. "I love you too..." I cried out, I leaned down near her, hearing her breath becoming slight and her eyes began to grow faint. Mulan struggled to speak,"I had loved you ever since I had laid my eyes in you..." I felt her warm breaths against my ear as she tried to breathe in, wanting to tell me everything. "Mulan...you would have been enough...I'm so sorry...!" I felt my voice falter as I spoke, knowing she was going be lost to me forever. "Aurora..." I sat listening. "They were cherry blossom trees...in the garden I had..." Tears streamed down my cheeks immensely knowing she was fading quick. "Aurora...?" She whispered with all her might, wanting me to listen. I shook my head not wanted her to leave me, to leave me alone. She could barely mouth the words, "I think I can finally hear them speak to me..." a single tear fell from her eyes as she closed them shut with a smile creeping across her face, and with one last heave of her chest, everything had gone silent. "Mulan...? Mulan?!" felt my whole body shake with fear and denial. I doubled over, leaned in near her face, just crying. "Don't leave me...because I love you..." I felt my lips touch Hers for the first time, I hadn't imagined out first kiss would be like this.

Phillip finally came but he saw me crying and cradling the woman, the woman whom I loved. I looked up at him and shook my head slightly. He felt immensely guilty and just stood there helpless as I held Mulan for the last time.


	6. Chapter 6

*End Flashback*

Marian and I sat in complete silence now. I knew I had shocked her with my story of why I was always with this tree. But to my surprise she thanked me for telling her this. She stood outstretching a hand to help me up, but I shook my head telling her, "I want to stay a bit longer...I hope you understand child." Marian nodded in agreement, bowing, "Queen," she began to speak, but she hesitated for a minute. "Queen Aurora...?" she whispered, scared of what she was about to ask, "Do you love the King...?" I looked up at her knowing this question was bound to arise, but I was in loss of words. _I love him-sometimes..._ "Child, sometimes...love is sacrifice." I smiled a bit knowing Mulan had said those exact words to me the first time we had met. Marian smiled feeling she understood now and left me to be with the tree. I leaned my head against the soft bark and spoke softly, "Mulan, I hope you can hear me. Because there's not a day where I don't think of you. Phillip has never known, and he will never know. I hope one day, we can meet again." I placed my hands in my lap, just listening to the soft breeze rustle the blossoms and buds. In the distance I heard Phillip and the children call out for me wondering where I had gone.

Phillip and the children found me in a matter of minutes. "Mother!" my darling Elizabeth called, coming close to hug me. I took her in my arms along with Little Gregory, both being the same age, 9. "Sitting with nature again I see?" Phillip spoke out smiling as he reached for my hand to help me up. I grasped his hand smiling, picking up the children as well.

And in that slight moment, past the rustling of the blossoms and leaves, I heard Mulan's faint voice call out to me. _We will meet again one day..._ A exaggerated smile come across my face as I closed my eyes _I hear you Mulan... _I just breathed in the air around me knowing she was here with me, as the cherry blossom tree.


End file.
